THE AMAZON FOREST

The Amazon forest is the largest ecosystem in the world, contained in the basin of the Amazon River, the most extensive river basin in the world. With an approximate extension of 7.000.000 sq Km, distributed between Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Colombia, Venezuela, Bolivia, Surinam and the Guyana’s, the Amazon Forest represents the tenth part of all the forests of the planet.
The Amazon River measures 6275 Km in length and with an average flow of 209.000 cubic meters per second is the largest river in the world. More that 3000 species of fishes can be found on it.

The Amazon Basin host the highest index of biodiversity of the planet:

-60.000 plant species.
-2.5 million species of insects.
-1.700 of birds, a fifth of all the species on Earth.
-4000 species of butterflies.
-20% of the world primates.
-Mammals like jaguar, puma, tapir.
-Reptiles like turtles, caiman, stifle, snakes.

From an ecological point of view, the Amazon Forest:

1. Controls and regulates the flow of all its rivers, releasing slowly the rainwater fallen through the year.
2. The plant cover stops erosion.
3. Regulates the climate at local and global level.
4. Is considered to be the lungs of the planet giving out oxygen and fixing CO2 from the atmosphere.

From a social point of view:

1. The forest is home to dozens of groups and indigenous communities. A large proportion of them are keeping their ancestral lifestyles isolated from western culture.
2. The forest supplies the raw materials and the resources to support those communities without any alteration to the ecosystem, following always the principles of sustainable development.